


Unconditional

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-05
Updated: 2008-07-05
Packaged: 2019-01-19 16:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12413394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: What is love at seventeen?





	Unconditional

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

Somewhere in the midst of their argument, he realizes that he probably shouldn't be yelling so much. Or even complaining at all, really - after six exhausting years of will-they-won't-they, he's lucky to have been with her at all.

But it doesn't make this any easier. Perhaps it would have been had she never given him a chance at all...

Finally they reach a point of deafening silence, hearts racing, eyes locked. Defeated, he collapses, head in hands, on the bed that's his for one more night.

"Why _now_?" he asks her, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. "Why the night before we leave? Like this isn't hard enough-"

"I let everybody _down_ ," she interjects. He's relieved to see the tears stinging her eyes - like it means something to her, maybe. "Look, I mean - I'm entering a field that doesn't play to my magical strengths at all, right? My own sister hates me, I -"

"Your sister's a bitch."

"Either way," she says.

"Lily, you -"

"No. I'm a disappointment, clearly, I'm everything that's absolutely wrong for you!"

"That's ridiculous and y-"

"I don't see why you would even want to be _friends_ with me if -"

"If? I love you," he says furiously. "I _love_ you, and that's not fucking conditional, okay? I'd love you if I never saw you again, I'd love you if you dated Sirius, I'd probably love you if you joined the Death Eaters, and-" he swallows - "and I love you regardless of whether you love - or even want - me back."

For the first time, he's managed to shut her up.

\---

_  
"If? I love you. I love you, and that's not fucking conditional, okay? I'd love you if I never saw you again, I'd love you if you dated Sirius, I'd probably love you if you joined the Death Eaters, and - and I love you regardless of whether you love - or even want - me back."_

She's more stunned than she cares to admit, and she considers him, sitting, slightly bent, hand in his hair, on his dormitory bed.He's never told her he loves her before.

She doesn't know quite what to say.

And all of a sudden, she feels horribly, horribly selfish - selfish because, after all the times he'd gone out of his way, even before they dated, to do everything he possibly could for her, she doesn't think she's ever once asked him what he _needs_.

Suddenly, he gets up and crosses the room, brushing past her, eyes averted.

She catches his hand and puts her own on his shoulders, standing up a little straighter to look at him.

"I'm sorry I can't be what you need me to be," she says, and makes sure she's the first to leave.

 


End file.
